Formation of a glutathione conjugate and a semistable transportable glucuronide conjugate of N2-oxidized species of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) in rat liver.

We have previously shown that 2-hydroxamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine(2-h ydroxamino-PhIP) is the principal metabolite leading to mutations in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and DNA damage in mammalian cells. In rat hepatocytes this metabolite can be further conjugated to 2-(N-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl (hydroxamino)-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4, 5-b]pyridine[N(OH)-gluc-PhIP]. Its rate of formation was increased in hepatocytes from polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-pretreated animals. This metabolite is the main metabolite of PhIP in bile and it is hydrolyzed both by human and rat intestinal bacteria. Smaller amounts are excreted into urine. The evidence for the proposed structure is based on 1H- and 13C-NMR, beta-glucuronidase-lability giving 2-hydroxamino-PhIP upon hydrolysis and on the results obtained by using biochemical enzyme inhibitors. N(OH)-gluc-PhIP may be important for genotoxic lesions and tumors of 2-amino-1methyl-6-phenylimidazo [4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) in extrahepatic tissue. In hepatocytes and bile from PCB-pretreated rats a PhIP-glutathione conjugate, 2-glutathionyl-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (GSH-PhIP) was also found. The evidence for the proposed structure is based on 1H-NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The metabolite can also be produced by a direct nucleophilic substitution of the nitro group in 2-nitro-PhIP by glutathione (GSH) in vitro. The metabolite did not form from 2-hydroxamino-PhIP and GSH either directly or in the presence of glutathione S-transferase. The formation of GSH-PhIP in rat liver and isolated cells only at a high rate of 2-hydroxamino-PhIP formation (PCB-treated animals) indicates that 2-nitro-PhIP may be formed in the liver during such N-oxidation of PhIP.